After reading this story, “Why you might not be allowed into Canada” on Gadling.com, I decided to retweet it. I wrote that in my travel experience, Canada has the least friendly border agents in the world besides Israel. Don’t get me wrong – I love Canada and I know that this sounds harsh but they constantly hound me, my family, and friends about entering the country, and 98% of the time, the agents just aren’t friendly. Is it just me or do you have the same unwelcoming experience?
Unfortunately yes. The only time I was ever, in any country, called in to immigration for further questioning was in Canada. And it was simply because I had visited more than three times in a year. And I have dual citizenship to boot!
I have been stopped at Immigration in Toroto, and escorted to a small windowless room for questioning. My crime? Visting Canada as a US lawyer on business. They wanted to make sure I wasn’t trying to practice Canadian law. I kid you not.
I was just in Canada for the first time in awhile and had the best experience with a border agent. The guy was super nice. To boot, the US agent on my way back was even friendlier! Full moon perhaps?
Unfortunately, I totally agree Johnny. As a Canadian living in Copenhagen, I am endlessly frustrated by the Canadian border experience. It’s like they are trained to be humourless, soulless workers who should be suspicious of all. A terrible first impression to give of a great country – and first impressions do count, don’t they? Sad. The experience arriving back in Denmark and going through customs is always a breath of fresh air in comparison. Imagine, Danish customs people will even laugh and joke a bit with you!!
Oh yeah, hassled hard by agents at the border near Vancouver when I drove up for a little weekend trip from Seattle. Had to get out of my car, give them my keys and wait inside while they searched it. Probably won’t go back to Canada again after that, just not worth it.
We just experienced this in January. It kinda felt like China customs. Stay behind the line until the agent is ready. No loud talking etc. They even had a customs dog sniffing our bags and carry on. They are very serious!!!
It looks like it is a North American thing then as, being Canadian, I feel the exact same thing when travelling to the US. The last time I travelled to New York, I was asked if i had ever killed somebody, after I said I had no criminal file…
Sounds like there may be a big difference depending on the mode of travel. I was born in Michigan and have made several trips to Canada by car, both through Detroit/Windsor and Port Huron/Sarnia. I was always treated in a friendly and respectful manner going over and treated considerably worse by US agents on the return home.
I have to agree with Scott. I’ve had more difficulty coming back into the US then going into Canada, especially through Detroit. Although, it’s all about PR and politics. A few years ago, after a local US paper reported on an incident which involved a border crossing, it was implied that Canada was partly at fault, all of a sudden it was not so friendly to go to Canada from the US for a bit but it usually doesn’t last long. I find it interesting though that it is more complicated and takes longer to go between Canada and the US then to go from Germany to France or France to Switzerland or vice versa.
Hello there,
I think maybe it´s because you guys are Americans and Canadians. I am Brazilian and went to Canada three times and all of them I was really well welcomed.
I don´t know, maybe the competition between these two countries is transfered for the agents in the border.
I figure that because happens basically the same thing between Brazil and Argentina…. there´s a lot of competition over there and not so much of thumbs up.
Maybe …… who know?
Cheers!!
Cbsa should hunted down like dogs
First impressions are important the first time I went to visit my American girlfriend I was alone and only asked maybe five questions total at primary inspection. The first time my girlfriend tried to spend a couple of weeks with me at my home in Canada and I was with her we were were told to report to secondary inspection and the female excrement goons of the degenerate cbsa asked my girlfriend and I several questions and asked me why I didn’t have a cell phone and my girlfriend’s fingerprints were checked I was very irritated but remained calm and polite and had us detained for 4 hours then she was denied entry.
Worst border experience going into Canada.